


Beginnings. Volume 1. Darina Kain-Ell

by Sad_outsider



Series: Beginnings [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cruelty, Demigods, Demons, Drama, Fantasy, Gen, Half-breeds, Half-demons, Pre-Het, War, Xenophilia, Xenophobia, fantasy creature, murders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28149258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sad_outsider/pseuds/Sad_outsider
Summary: For centuries, between the half-demons - the Kains and the demigods - Ells, there was a bloody war that threatened to wipe people off the face of the earth. Everything changed when at the head of the Kains stood the one in whose power it was to end Ells once and for all. But instead, he tried to make peace. Gathering together all the leaders of the tribes, he was able to shield the war from people, as well as conclude a temporary truce between the sworn enemies.The leader of the Kains never managed to end the war, but the truce bore fruit. One of them was Darina...
Relationships: Kel Ell/Darina Kain-Ell
Series: Beginnings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2062122
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

Once upon a time, humans were a weak, small race that was constantly attacked by countless demon hordes. It seemed that the human species was doomed to death, then those whom people called great defenders - half-demons, called Kains, and demigods, who christened themselves Ells, appeared. They drove the demons into the underworld and promised to continue to protect humanity from misfortunes, in return asking only for loyalty. The people agreed.

So, led by the Kains and Ells, an era of peace and prosperity began - permanent settlements appeared, mankind was actively developing new territories, agriculture and cattle breeding developed, and a craft was born. It was in those days that the foundations of economics and politics were formed, laws and norms of society appeared.

But, as you know, nothing lasts forever. For some unknown reason, a bloody war broke out between the Kains and Ells. The enmity grew every year, like a forest fire, simultaneously involving people in the conflict. The battles became more and more fierce - both peoples possessed incredible strength and neither of them wanted to yield to the other. In the heat of battles with each other, the once great defenders have forgotten their vows to humanity.

Disputes began to arise between people, as a result, a single people split into three Great Tribes: South - Roa, East - Nisshoku and North-West - Zeu. Hatred swept the world, attracting new hordes of demons. Humanity is again on the verge of death.

More than 500 years have passed since the beginning of the war, people have long lost any hope for peace. Everything changed when the leader of the Kain tribe became the one in whose power it was to end the battle, once and for all put an end to Ells. However, instead, he wished to conclude a truce. After several years of his reign, he still managed to bring the heads of all nations together. The result of the negotiations was a pact, according to which the human tribes henceforth protected themselves from the conflict of half-demons with demigods. Also, as a consequence of this meeting, a truce was concluded between the Kains and Ellas, which, unfortunately, did not last long.

Although the Noble Leader did not manage to stop the war, he gave people hope for a peaceful life.

Hope. It is to her that I owe my birth.

My father belongs to the Ell tribe, and my mother is from the Kain family, I am a child born of an alliance between sworn enemies. My parents considered my birth a real miracle, because until that moment it was assumed that the gods and demons were not able to have joint offspring. They named me the gift of the Spirit of Life - Darina.

Our family was small, but very happy: my parents, despite the enmity in the past, loved each other very much and did not see a soul in me.This was until the day when my mother disappeared, and my father, without explaining anything, took me to Ells. I never saw my mother, the only thing left of her was her pendant. I do not remember those events well, so I repeatedly asked my father about what happened, but he constantly avoids answering. In the end, I realized that he would never talk about what happened between him and my mother.

Since my father does not want to tell me the truth, then I myself will find out about everything. And no matter what the cost!


	2. Return to the native village. Part 1.

Night. The endless forests and the mountain peaks lying behind them are shrouded in darkness. Along the forest road, illuminated from both sides by the yellowish-orange light of lanterns, two carts pulled by Kunzars, huge animals with the body of a marten and the limbs of a lizard, slowly roll. Following the wagons, in absolute silence, a group of soldiers, consisting of thirteen men, moves.

At the head of the small detachment is a tall, well-built young man. His black hair, pulled back and secured with a gold band, sways slightly in the wind; a single strand falling out of a neat hairstyle falls right on the forehead. The man looks tense, blue eyes scan the surroundings every minute in search of a potential threat, his right hand tightly grips the carved hilt of the sword, preparing to pull it out of its scabbard at any moment.

A persistent sense of danger has not left him since he, along with the detachment entrusted to him, set out from the Borderlands. Gut tells him something is wrong.

The night was unusually hot and calm, not a cloud in the sky. The crescent moon illuminates the entire surrounding space with its faded silvery light, giving the curved tree trunks and the field in front of it an almost mystical glow. Quiet. Too quiet.

He reached out to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and immediately regretted it - a sharp pain pierced his left shoulder. Kel's face curled briefly, the damned wound reminiscent of itself at the slightest movement.

The leader of the squadron involuntarily wondered if the increased anxiety was connected with the complete failure of the operation, as a result of which he received this wound. Ell sighed, - the troubles seemed to be on his heels.

The last defeat, however, was far beyond the word "trouble". It was a complete disaster: the enemies somehow found out about their plan of attack and, a few hours before it began, simultaneously attacked all of the Ells fortifications. He and two other generals managed to repulse two out of five positions and, fortunately, stop a further advance, but the Kains pushed them back strongly. Kel clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles literally turned white, to say that he was pissed off at the current situation is to say nothing.

Where from ?! How the hell did the Cains know about their attack plan ?! Did they somehow track their actions? Maybe Set was right, and in the ranks of the Ells there was a "rat"? Or maybe he's just slowly going crazy ?!

“Great Leader,” a hoarse voice interrupted the gloomy thoughts.

"What?" Kel Ell turned his gaze to the man who called out to him.

It was a swarthy, short old man, on the left side of his face, starting from his lower lip and ending with a chin covered with stubble, an old, long-healed scar was clearly traced. Judging by the purple cape with the black and yellow Ell crest on it, he is one of the Lieutenants of the Eastern Division.

“I think we should wait out the night here,” the elderly man suggested, bowing politely in respect. The squad leader raised his eyebrows in indignation.

“It's just a stone's throw to the village, I don't see any reason to stop,” he answered sharply, hastily continuing his way, a bright red cloak fiercely whipping after him. Kel wanted to get home as soon as possible - an overwhelming sense of danger continued to haunt him.

“But… but, sir,” the lieutenant was stunned by the commander’s harsh response so much that he froze in place for a moment. Having come to his senses a little, the old man began to catch up with the brunet who was rapidly receding into the distance.

"The detachment walked for half a day, practically without stopping - the animals need rest, not to mention the soldiers who walked from Randal himself", - he groaned with difficulty keeping up with the young leader. “In addition, the capital is still at least four hours away, and upon arrival we will still have to wait for dawn."

Hearing the last argument, the leader froze in step, finally giving his subordinate a chance to catch his breath. The old lieutenant was right - in any case, they would have to wait for the sun to rise, because, for security reasons, the gates of the village are locked for the night.

Turning around, he looked at the warrior in front of him, then turned his gaze to the men trudging at the very end of the convoy - they looked exhausted. The devastating defeat severely undermined their spirit, and yet they did not say a word when he was almost ready to drive them out to death because of his own experiences and completely unfounded fears.

The man wilted. He again allowed fear to dictate his life, moreover, he caused unnecessary trouble for his already exhausted relatives.

“You're right,” Kel Ell concluded in an undertone, turning his back to the lieutenant so that he did not notice the anger in the features of the “unshakable” leader." Order the cabbies to stop, we'll spend the night here."Hastily taking his leave, the old man hastened forward to inform the charioteers of the change of order. The leader himself, turning around, walked towards the soldiers.

Kel walked slowly, head bowed, unable to look them in the eye. He failed them again, for the umpteenth time. Idiot! How can a leader so neglect his own people? How can you be so selfish and a coward ?! The young leader turned his gaze to the blade still clutched in his hand - what would his father say if he saw his son in such a pitiful state? Kel Ell let go of his sword hilt bashfully.

Noticing the approach of the leader, the soldiers stopped and greeted him with a low bow. Still in self-deprecating thoughts, the young leader did not seem to notice them at all.

“Great Leader,” called out to Kel his right hand — Ten Ell, not for the first time catching the pensive mood of his leader.

"Huh?" sharply freezing in place and raising his eyes, the leader of the squadron quickly examined his surroundings. “Oh, I'm sorry Ten, I'm a little lost in thought,” Kel apologized, acknowledging the person calling him. The man only smiled sympathetically in response, he knew not by hearsay where the leader's thoughts were constantly wandering.

"Why did the carts stop? Something is wrong?" worried one of the soldiers, noticing that moving in front of the carts began to stop at the side of the road.

"Everything is all right," the leader of the squad reassured, shifting his gaze to his subordinates.

"After consulting with Lieutenant Zaym, I made a decision - we will wait out the night here and continue our way at sunrise." he announced in an official tone, looking around the soldiers. They stood in a daze, unable to believe their own ears - they no longer hoped for a halt.

“Rest,” the leader confirmed in a lighter tone. Still not believing what was happening, the men silently looked at each other, trying to understand if the devil himself confused them. However, as soon as they looked at the leader, whose face had a slight smile on his face, all their doubts melted away overnight.

Having happily bowed out, the Ells hurried to the big wagon for supplies. Kel shook his head cheerfully, looking at them: seasoned warriors, most of whom are much older than himself, but if you just mention the rest, they immediately turn into carefree boys.

The revival of his companions calmed him down a little. Maybe a little snack and a couple of hours of sleep will ease his anxiety. The leader was about to join the rest of the soldiers when he heard a rustle on the edge of the road, just where the clearing ended and the impenetrable forests began.

Carefully, trying not to attract the attention of relatives, the man approached the edge of the road and began to scan the surroundings in search of the source of the sound. After a few minutes of fruitless searches, Ell was already willing to spit on this matter, pushing everything to fatigue, but then accidentally noticed something that made his blood freeze in his veins ...

In the depths of the forest, for only a moment, someone's eyes glittered ominously. The young leader began to look around convulsively, hands instinctively reaching for the sword hilt. The hope still lived in him that it was just some wild beast attracted here by the smell of food, but his gut continued to insist on the opposite.

********************************

At the same time, the unsuspecting Ells began to set up camp: two soldiers hastily lugged brushwood for the fire that had just lit up the center of the clearing, while the others began to take apart their hiking bags in preparation for their well-deserved rest.

At the edge of the road, a young driver, who took responsibility for the cart in which the wounded soldiers were transported, began to free his faithful companion from the crushing harness, so that he could then feed and leave to rest. However, as soon as it touched the beast, it instantly bristled, starting to hiss and wriggle. The charioteer tried to calm him down, but it didn’t work, - Kunzar only growled in displeasure at any actions of the owner, continuing to viciously grin his sharp teeth in the direction of the forest. Confused, the charioteer was about to turn to a senior colleague for help, but, looking in his direction, saw that he was faced with exactly the same problem.

A terrible realization hit the young warrior like a bolt from the blue. As if reading his thoughts, the elder raised his eyes and looked sternly at the young man. The youngest swallowed - bad business.

Nodding in agreement, they immediately ran to the large wagon and hastily began to close the shutters. The people in the carriage, except for one extremely grumpy old man, did not object, trusting the instincts of their faithful defenders. When all five passengers had finally taken their places, and the shutters and doors of the cart were securely locked, the drivers approached the small cart to retrieve armor and weapons that would certainly be useful to them in the coming battle.

"Where is the leader?" The lieutenant asked worriedly, noticing the absence of their leader in the crowd.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Ten replied, carrying a hefty bundle of firewood in one hand.

"Ah, here he is," the giant pointed to the road. Looking in the direction indicated, Zaym saw a figure approaching quickly. Looking closer, he noticed that the legendary sword of the Ells was tightly gripped in his right hand; Once freed from its sheath, the blade gleams dangerously in the firelight.

This worried the old lieutenant, the old man was about to ask about it, but was cut off by the loud voice of the leader:

"Get out of here, immediately! " ordered Kel immediately reaching the camp. His eyes darted from side to side with frantic speed, he looked like a madman.

There was a deathly silence in the camp. Ten Ell was so dumbfounded that he dropped an armful of firewood from his hands - they fell to the ground with a crash, instantly disappearing into the thick grass. He had never seen Kel Ell so… worried. This seriously alarmed the giant, goose bumps ran down his spine.

Everyone else stood in complete shock, staring at the leader as if he had gone mad. Probably many of them really thought about it. The leader could not blame them.

The silence continued for a while, the soldiers continued to look at the leader of the squad, most with confusion, a few daredevils with irritation. Kel ignored them, continuing to watch the surroundings warily, looking for a way to escape - the squad's safety now comes first, they might hate him later.

"What?!" The lieutenant finally expressed general dissatisfaction. He was about to enter into an argument with the commander-in-chief when he noticed steam bursting out of his mouth.

The leader froze. A cold, bone-chilling wind suddenly replaced the evening stuffiness. He gripped the hilt of the sword tighter - it was bad. Very bad.

The rest of Ells instinctively became alert. They all knew perfectly well that this portended this, and yet they were in a daze, barely able to believe in the reality of what was happening.

How so ?! Now is the height of summer! They should be safe in their homelands, and besides, just a few hours from the capital. Is'ant not?

Reality seems intent on proving the warriors that they are wrong.

One of the shadows of the forest suddenly came to life and rushed into the gloomy skies. Gaining height, the winged monster hit the soldiers at full speed. Dumbfounded, they barely had time to duck. Flying directly over their heads, the creature in the blink of an eye was next to the main source of light. One moment - and the flame went out. The glade plunged into darkness, only from afar illuminated by road lamps.

Gazing at the lights shining in the distance, the hellbird let out a deafening roar. Soaring up, she froze in the air. The leather wings began flapping furiously, raising a hurricane wind - one by one, the lights began to go out. With the light of the last torch, the infernal creature vanished into the night.

The entire surrounding space plunged into pitch darkness - even the moon disappeared behind black clouds ... Clouds that were not there a minute ago. Having looked closely at these strange "clouds", the warriors were horrified - a huge flock of demons was rapidly approaching them.

“Get ready,” the leader ordered sternly, leading his compatriots out of their trance.

To buy his people extra time, he kicked off the ground with all his might and jumped at least six kilometers above the ground, right towards the demonic army. The hellish creatures did not keep you waiting long, immediately switching their attention to the daredevil. Cal swung his sword, preparing to attack. The demons continued to swiftly approach their prey, not in the least frightened by the useless, without even a hint of a point, blade in the hands of the leader. The silvery-bluish glow of the blade was the only warning before part of the infernal flock fell to the ground, struck by the invisible blade of the "dull" sword.

Wasting no time, Kel Ell landed on one of the flying creatures and plunged the blade directly into the monster's back. Howling in pain, the infernal bird rushed up into the air, in a frantic attempt to throw off the offender. Gripping the hilt of the sword with both hands, the chieftain pressed the blade deeper into the demon's flesh, piercing it through. Having issued the last cry, the once formidable creature began to fall limply down.

The leader of the Ells drew a sword from the monster's carcass. Not wanting to fall to the ground along with the defeated enemy, Kel pushed off the dead body and jumped towards the other demonic creatures. Those, in turn, continued to attack the warrior non-stop, hoping to end him. Three of them raised a powerful wind with flaps of their wings, throwing the man back, while five more swiftly attacked from all sides.

As soon as the monsters get close enough, he kicked open the skull of one, along the way - having managed to chop two more into pieces. Another spawn attacked from below, trying to pierce it with its sharp spear-shaped beak. At the last moment, slightly shifting his body position, Ell grabbed the bird by the neck, and then broke it, with such ease, as if in his hand was not the long massive demon neck, but a simple straw. With one hand, the leader threw the body at the other winged beast, knocking her down to gain a few seconds before the next attack. His eyes began to glow.

A bright flash of light passed across the sky. A moment later, a bloody rain fell on the ground, created from the scorched remains of hellish monsters. The warriors below did not seem to be at all worried about this - they had more important problems: the brave deed of the leader did not buy them much time, the majority hardly had time to pull out their weapons in time for the next wave of monsters.

In just a few minutes, the field from a quiet, peaceful place turned into a real hell. Demons were everywhere: in the sky, on the earth and under it, they crawled out of the thick grass and lush crowns of trees. There was no escape from them - kill one and two, or even all three, will immediately take his place.

The creatures had only one goal - a large cart, where tasty, and most importantly, easy prey was concentrated. Crowds of monsters flocked from all ends of the clearing to one single point, wanting to satisfy the unbridled hunger that eats away the remnants of their consciousness. The warriors lined up in a phalanx, blocking the further path of the hellish spawns. While the soldiers were holding back the main onslaught of demonic forces, the drivers, mounted on fast and maneuverable beast-lizards dressed in armor, covered the rear, along the way - managing to destroy the monsters that had passed through the living barrier.

The battle, despite the numerical advantage of the enemy, went in favor of the Ells - they only needed to hold back the onslaught of the horde until their leader came and victory would be in their pocket. At least that's what they thought - in reality, the real battle was just beginning.

A deafening roar passed through the clearing, forcing the soldiers to hastily cover their ears in agony. Kel Ell, still in the air, had to risk his own life to fight off the notably thinned army using only his legs. Both hands were busy covering his ears - even he was not immune to ruptured eardrums.

The roar died down as suddenly as it began. As if on someone's command, the demons, who had previously attacked separately, rallied, starting to attack in united groups. With all their might, they tried to divide the soldiers and carry them as far as possible from the carts.

"Group up and cover your comrades! Whatever happens, do not let the enemy separate you from the main group, as far as possible, retreat to the carts," the lieutenant barked orders, immediately realizing the intentions of the enemy.

As soon as he had time to give the order, he was immediately attacked by a huge crowd of monsters, literally crawling out of nowhere. At the same instant, another hellish scream passed through the clearing, only this time it sounded much louder and more distinct. The sound came from somewhere in the sky. The elderly warrior raised his eyes only for a moment, but even this short look was enough for him to realize all the deplorableness of their current situation.

There, high in the sky, in the epicenter of a vortex created from hundreds of demonic creatures of all sizes and shapes, like the angels of death, three mutated hellish birds - Moras - hovered. They were huge: if ordinary Moras hardly reached human height, then these were so large that they could swallow a seven-year-old child whole. In addition to its gigantic size, the mutant nature of the creatures was hinted at by huge, scaled, spirally twisted horns, instead of the inherent in this type of demons, small, slightly branched at the end of the horns; the tail, spine and crown of the head of the infernal birds were covered with scale-like plates, a row of sharp thorns were located at the tip of the tail, and the belly, instead of the usual ashy black feathers, was covered with thick scales.

With each flap of tattered leather wings, the mutated creatures drew closer and closer to the wagons. Kel could not afford to let the monsters get to his charges, and even more so to the wounded. Not. This must be his battle.

"Dammit!" he exclaimed and, pushing off from another creature that stood in his way, rushed straight to the monsters.

Noticing the approach of the enemy, one of the giant Moras looked directly at him - two pairs of blood-red eyes met the blue eyes of the leader. Measuring Ell with a hateful look, the spawn of hell let out a quiet roar, then turned its back on the leader of the squad, as if deciding that he posed no threat. Frowning, Kel Ell continued to swiftly approach his goal, only to be suddenly attacked by a swarm of demons the next moment.

Moving as a whole, the swarm of monsters struck exactly in the solar plexus, knocking out all the air from it and throwing it back. With a cry of surprise, the young leader swung his sword, trying to get rid of the obstacle. The attack reached its goal, chopping a couple of unlucky beastias, but in the long term it turned out to be ineffective, since others immediately took the place of the defeated. Throwing Ell a decent distance from their masters, the flying beasts began to attack non-stop from all sides, not giving the enemy even a chance to respond.

Gravity, coupled with relentless enemy attacks, pulled him inexorably down. Kel cursed to himself, - if in the next couple of minutes he does nothing, then he will have an extremely unpleasant landing. It's time to change tactics: it is ineffective to destroy the demons one by one, in which case you need to destroy the whole flock. The leader of the Ells smiled - stupid creatures, they do not understand who they contacted. Just because he cannot attack physically or focus his gaze on the attacking group does not mean that he is not capable of attacking at all.

The next few seconds in practice proved the correctness of his reasoning - distributing part of his energy throughout his body, the warrior simply released it, turning everything within a kilometer radius to ash.

After getting rid of his enemies, Kel was finally able to open his eyes. Glancing over his shoulder, he cursed loudly, the ground relentlessly approached - the fall was already inevitable. Powerless, the warrior could only group in order to reduce damage.

A moment later, 5 kilometers from the camp, a loud bang was heard, followed by the crackling of trees broken by the shockwave.

Taking advantage of the absence of the leader, Moras went straight to the carts. Still fighting off non-stop demonic attacks, the lieutenant could only helplessly watch three terrifying monsters fly unhindered directly overhead. Attacked by the third wave of monsters that followed immediately after the three mutants, Ells watched with bated breath as the giant creatures were getting closer and closer to the wagons every second. It seemed that they were about to reach their goal when the drivers on the Kunzars stood in their way.

The lizard-beasts attacked the giant birds from behind, the mutants, however, managed to dodge at the last minute and then attack using their powerful spiked tails. Thanks to the flexible serpentine body composition, the animals deftly avoided most of the enemy's attacks, while the charioteers fought off the remaining spikes with spears.

Fighting off the last attack of the enemy, the Kunzars rushed straight at the monstrous birds, trying to stick their sharp teeth saturated with paralyzing poison into them. Trying to prevent this, the infernal creatures with flaps of wings caused a powerful whirlwind that knocked the defenders of the carts from their feet. Unable to fight back, the drivers, along with their faithful companions, were immediately attacked by a new wave of demons, while the Moras unhindered reached their goal.

The situation of the people in the cart was rapidly deteriorating: the hellish birds had already begun to tear apart the wooden casing of the cart, the charioteers and soldiers were locked in an unequal battle, and their loyal defenders, Kunzars, were forced to fight for their own skins under the onslaught of an ever-present horde of demons. It is also lucky that the cladding is made of self-healing Siamese wood, otherwise the three monsters would have already reached them. Although, given the eagerness with which the monsters tear the unfortunate carriage, it is unlikely to win the wounded more than a couple of minutes.

The wars silently cursed their helplessness - the only thing they can now watch is how the hellish creatures tear the unfortunate wagon apart. The devil's offspring, as if anticipating their victory, attack so violently that the soldiers, not only for strangers, for their own lives can hardly fight. The situation seems hopeless.

A sharp gust of wind that appeared literally out of nowhere threw most of the offspring away, thereby giving the squad a chance to regroup.

“Continue to hold back the demons,” came a rough baritone voice. Turning to the side of the voice, many of the soldiers were shocked at the sight of the disheveled but generally seemingly completely unharmed squad leader.

“I'm going to help the wounded.” Without waiting for an answer, Kel rushed forward, sweeping across the battlefield with lightning speed.

Halfway to the goal, the leader was forced to slow down - at least a dozen monsters blocked the road. The man bared his teeth and, issuing a barely audible growl, rushed straight at them.

Two healthy demons, outwardly resembling filthy fat pigs with folded wings behind their backs, attacked in the forehead. He jumped over them. The third attacked right in the air, but Kel expected it. The blade that flashed in front of the demonic beast's face was the last thing it saw before it was cut in half.

Having finished with the first pig-like demon, the leader landed behind two more and, turning, beheaded them with one swing of the blade.

Seizing the opportunity, three more attacked from behind. Ell stamped his foot lightly, and a stone wall appeared behind him. Not having time to react, the devil birds crashed into the barrier. Turning around instantly, Kel kicked the wall down onto the infernal monsters. He sighed. Six - done, six more - left.

Barely managing to catch his breath from the previous attack, he was immediately captured by a demon with a human body and a snake's tail. Snake-like limbs extended along the man's neck to block access to oxygen. Kel Ell gasped as the sword slipped from his hand and landed on the ground with a crash. Two devils gripped his forearms and wrists in a death grip. Until now, the infernal bird, watching the whole picture, decided to use the opportunity that opened up and rushed down at full speed, trying to pierce the chained warrior through with its deadly beak.

The leader appreciated the situation. By rough estimates, he has no more than 30 seconds before the hellish scavenger turns him into a kebab. After weighing all the options, Ell took action. Effortlessly freeing himself from the grip of the devils, he grabbed them by the necks and lifted them into the air. It took him exactly 5 seconds to kill both of them by smashing their heads against each other. After making sure that both creatures were dead, the leader threw the limp bodies away like ordinary trash. In just a second, he heard a scream.

Not far from him, demonic tentacles began to appear from under the ground, dragging down anyone who fell within the radius of defeat. Unfortunately, two recruits came under attack. Not knowing how to deal with the misfortune, they vainly destroyed the paws of the monster, only so that they would grow again and again in even greater numbers. The young warriors realized their mistake too late - the vile sprouts completely entangled them from head to toe and quickly dragged them both into the abyss. In desperation, they screamed for help. Kel Ell cursed there was no way he could get help in time. Fortunately for the guys, Ten came to their aid, that with one precise blow he tore apart an entire piece of land along with the cursed creature, after which he immediately rushed to the next similar creature.

Distracted only for a moment, Kel did not have time to notice the sting of the snake-like sting aimed at him. Having hit right on target, however, the poisonous tip simply broke, unable to even scratch the leader of the Ells. The Devil Spawn howled in pain. At the same moment, taking advantage of the confusion of the enemy, Ell freed himself from the monster's suffocating embrace, and then made a reverse somersault in the air, swapping them. Holding the demon firmly in place, he used it as a human shield. Not having time to stop in time, the infernal bird pierced through and through the snake-like, tightly stuck in the thick skin of the monster.

Kel Ell rubbed the spot on his neck where the sting had struck. Was close, damn it. Stretching his right hand forward, he drew the sword towards him by force of will. With a wave of his blade, he tore off the head of a demonic bird that was still trying to escape from the carcass of his kindred. Ten are ready.

The last two were not long in coming. Tentacles emerging from the ground instantly tried to drag Kel down. He, without thinking twice, pushed off the ground and soared several meters. Taking a quick look at the battlefield, the leader, from his current vantage point, instantly discovered the location of the main bodies of the demons.

He clenched his left hand into a fist and concentrated. The fist began to glow brightly with red-blue energy. The man flexed his arm, preparing to strike. Quickly straightening his arm, Kel unleashed a powerful blast of energy directly at the location of the earth demons. Reaching the target with light speed, the attack tore apart the nearby space, along with all the infernal creatures that were nearby, but it was far from the end - after a couple of seconds another group of demons attacked it in the air. Kel swore, "This is not good."

The people in the carriage understood that help might not be in time, so two soldiers: a man without a hand, and a woman, whose face was streaked with fresh scars, got up from their seats, preparing to defend three more who were unable to stand up for themselves. The third boy, half of his face and body covered with bandages, also tried to get up, but was pulled back by another wounded man.

"Fools!" exclaimed the old man, pointing to a couple of "daredevils". "If you are able to stand on your feet, then instead of pretending to be heroes, run away from here as soon as the opportunity presents itself."

"Me," - he touched his hand to the stump that was once his leg."And him," - he pointed to the young guy with a punctured lung, that was lying unconscious from the beginning of the journey. "there is no point in saving. The guy is doomed, and I should have died a week ago in the battle, as befits a real warrior," the couple was silent, ignoring the sayings of the elderly soldier, and the boy in vain tried to escape from the old man's grip.

For a moment, silence reigned in the wagon, the only sounds were the deafening roar of creatures, and the crackle of a tree breaking and then growing again.

“Listen to me,” the old man softened, “as soon as the creatures break through the roof, take the boy and run as fast as you can,” the man said, still holding the teenager's hand.

"Never!" the boy yelled.

" I will not run like some coward, I will fight with the rest!" with great effort, he still managed to get up, breaking free from the steel grip of a seasoned warrior.

"Stupid boy, where are you going ?! Only will die in vain," the elderly man measured the boy with a menacing look. The young man simply turned away from the old man, standing on a par with the others.

“Dammit, don’t you understand? If you stay, we will all lie here, - continued the elderly warrior, looking at the back of the trinity.

“You don’t understand anything,” the one-armed man replied calmly, not even looking at the elder.

“There is no point in running - we are surrounded. The only chance of survival is if we keep the mutants long enough for help to come".

“If you are so impatient for the next world, old man, you can just jump out the window right now,” the woman added tartly.

In response, the man lowered his head in defeat, after which he huddled into the far corner and did not say a word again.

A minute later, there was a loud crack of wood, followed by silence. The Three Moras finally reached their goal - having punched a large enough hole in the roof of the wagon, they carefully began to make their way inside.

Opening a secret compartment under the bench, the woman pulled out a long spear, while the one-handed one began to focus all the energy in his eyes, preparing to use his gaze. The boy had no choice but to fight off enemies with his bare hands. Sitting in the far corner of the carriage, the soldiers prepared to defend themselves.

Eagerly, the trio of monsters rushed to the attack, however, due to their enormous size, they could not easily reach their prey. Taking advantage of space, the Ells skillfully attacked in tandem.

Here is one of the giant creatures trying to pierce a one-armed man with its sharp beak, in order to be immediately stopped by the spear of the woman attacking him from above and the boy hitting right into the scaly belly from below. In response, the infernal bird tries to fend off enemies using two pairs of powerful wings, only for the man to freeze them at once, using his gaze. While one of the monsters is partially immobilized, and the boy and the woman are fighting off the second, the man continuously attacks with his first glance, trying to turn him into a lifeless block of ice.

Distracted by the battle, the warriors did not notice that one of the Moras was missing. Breaking an additional hole in the wagon in the summer, the monster suddenly attacked the three from above. Having reacted at the last moment, the boy managed to push his comrades away, taking the brunt of the blow. Abruptly knocked down, the wounded soldiers were thrown into the wall behind them. Both were momentarily stunned.

The boy, as a result of the attack, was completely thrown into the opposite part of the cart. Wasting no time, the attacker immediately began to rapidly approach his prey. The awakened woman wanted to rush to the rescue of the brave boy, but another monster stood in her way, while the third, finally freed from the ice captivity, had already sharpened its beak against the man who had not yet recovered. Sitting in the far corner with another wounded man, the old man could only yell at the boy and the one-armed one to wake up before the hellish creatures get to them.

The boy struggled to get up, but his body did not obey. All he could was to listen to the elder's desperate screams, and watch how the demonic bird was getting closer and closer with every second. Having no more strength, the boy closed his eye, preparing for an imminent death. However, this never happened.

With difficulty opening his only eye, the young man saw a figure standing in front of him. In the left hand of this man was the decapitated corpse of the once formidable Mor, and in his right hand was a huge sword with a blunt blade. It was their leader, the teenager realized, - he still managed to help them.

Having got rid of one mutant, Kel Ell threw the lifeless body with one hand at the other two, preventing them from getting to the other injured. The knocked down monsters flew out of the cart. Having risen, they assessed the new enemy and realizing that they could not win in a fair battle, they retreated. Kel stared after them for a while, but decided not to pursue them for now, focusing on the victims.

Having regained consciousness, the boy tried to get up. The chief knelt in front of him.

"Are you okay?" asked the young leader, giving the guy his hand. He nodded, silently grasping the offered hand. Kel smiled.

Seizing the moment, three low-level demons attacked from behind. The leader turned his head - his eyes flashed with bright red fire, and the attackers immediately turned into a heap of ash. Having finished with the enemies, Kel once again looked at the brave boy.

"You fought bravely," praised the man, fluttering the blond top of the boy's head.

" All of you," he looked at two more. They only bowed briefly in reverence.

He was not cunning. Thanks to the courage of this trio, all five passengers of the carriage are still alive. The man clenched his fists, trying not to think about what might have happened if he was even a minute late.

"Leave the rest to us," came the charioteers' voices in unison. The leader turned at the sound of the voices and looked around at his subordinates. Both drivers looked sternly at the leader, silently assuring him of the truth of their words. Kel Ell nodded briefly, then straightened and, without further delay, darted straight into the thick of the battle.

"Everyone, lie down!" Cal exclaimed as he made his way to midfield.

Inhale. After drawing as much air into his lungs as possible, the leader of the Ells began to focus energy within his body. Exhalation. A powerful flurry of wind hit the battlefield, blowing away everything and everyone in its path. Ells ducked. Most of the infernal creatures could only helplessly submit to the frantic stream, only a few managed to survive, burrowing into the ground or clinging to something.

Throwing the monsters away from the camp, the leader of the Ells stopped. His eyes changed again to a bluish-white glow. Without giving the enemies a chance to come to their senses, the leader of the squad turned them into ice, while his subordinates destroyed the rest.

The triumph of the detachment did not last long - a deafening roar was heard from the heavens, hundreds of blood-red eyes shone dangerously in the darkness of the forest. The warriors were overcome with despair - while they dealt with the remnants of the past wave of monsters, the damned mutant Moras summoned even more demons.

"Do not stand there, this is just the beginning!" instantly brought the stunned comrades-in-arms to the senses of their leader. Torn from their torpor, they instantly followed their commander to the carts.

The lieutenant ran behind, covering the rear. Noticing a small group of demons rushing right at them, he stopped and turned and leaned his palms to the ground. The surrounding grasses came to life and with their long leaves and stems firmly clung to the clawed paws, wings and horns of the fiends of hell. The evil creatures howled and hissed, with every movement their paws and wings were torn to shreds, but this did not stop them. They continued desperate attempts to get to their prey, again and again breaking the living chains along with their own flesh.

One creature managed to get close to Zeim. The old man already felt the disgusting breath burning through his lungs, and saw how the slobbering mouth of the monster clicked, in a frantic attempt to tear a piece from it, but continued to remain calm. He waited. And so, at that moment, when the devil's spawn made the last dash to the goal, tree roots burst out of the soil, finally turning the demon into a bloody sieve. With an imperturbable look, wiping demonic blood from his face, the seasoned warrior moved on.

"Surround the carts - the safety of the wounded is a priority," Kel Ell barked orders loudly, looking at his people.

"No one will die here today!"

"Yes!" the answer of subordinates sounded distinctly.

After analyzing the current situation, Kel began to form a strategy to protect the wagons. Having accepted the best option, he spoke:

" Zeim, Ten, I leave the back flank to you, the front one - I take over," - the men nodded in agreement.

The young leader turned his gaze to the elder of the two." Zeim, in my absence you take command. I trust your experience, don't let me down."

“Yes, sir, ” the lieutenant bowed his head in obedience.

"Riders - you are on the perimeter, try to stay within a kilometer, otherwise you may get hit," - the men answered with a short nod.

“Others, surround the wagons and hold the line. Whatever the cost, you must protect the injured. Is everything clear to everyone?" the leader looked at his subordinates.

“Yes, sir,” was their answer unanimously. Satisfied with the answer, Kel Ell was about to charge into battle, but was stopped by a lonely voice:

"Wait," turning his head, the man was surprised to see a blond boy peeking out of a hole in a wagon. This was the same boy he had saved just a few minutes ago.

"Are you going to fight this whole horde alone?" - the boy looked with concern at the army of demons gathering around the two mutants. “Wouldn't it be better if you stay here with the others?”

On all sides, the disgruntled murmur of fellow tribesmen was heard, ordering the boy to close his mouth and not contradict his elders. Kel raised his hand, stopping the kin from further reproaches.

“You're right,” confirmed leader, looking at the teenager. “It would be better if I could stay here and fight the others, but because of my enormous strength, this is simply impossible."

"Can your great strength interfere with something? Hasn't it protected us all until now?" asked the boy, still not understanding.

“You are still young and cannot fully realize what a threat such a force poses to others,” out of the corner of his eye noticing the approach of a large flock of demons, the man turned to the battlefield.

Concentrating, he put all his strength into the blade. With a swing of his sword, Kel Ell completely destroyed all enemies, but in the process, most of the field and a significant part of the forest lying behind it turned into a lifeless wasteland.

Overwhelmed by the power of the attack and the scale of the destruction, the teenager was momentarily speechless - he finally understood what the commander-in-chief was trying to tell him.

“If I stay, there will be more harm than good from me. Therefore, the best option for me is to fight alone, isolating you from most of the enemy forces, - as if nothing had happened, the leader of the Ells continued the explanation. The guy nodded distantly.

“To be the most powerful warrior of the tribe must be very difficult,” the boy noted sadly, now realizing the full weight of the leader's burden. Kel just smiled sadly at the boy.

“Great strength is a great burden, kid.” The man turned forward, focusing all his attention on the enemy. Noticing his gaze, the huge Mor unleashed a new wave of creatures on him and his squad.

“Take over in the wagon and don't stick your head out. The soldiers will ensure safety for you and the other wounded,” the leader said sternly, without taking his eyes off the enemy. Obeying the order of the leader of the detachment, the young man took refuge in the far corner of the wagon along with the rest of the victims.

Without further delay, the leader of the Ells charged forward, quickly breaking through the demonic horde. He had only one goal - the Mutant Moras, who led this entire hellish parade. Along the way, he destroyed every demon that dared to stand in his way.

A small detachment could only fight off the creatures who managed to escape the fury of his leader.

"Where is so many of them come from?" one of the soldiers was indignant, fighting off another monster.

"Less - talk, more - kill demons, otherwise, at such a pace, we will not get rid of these creatures until morning," pointedly noted Ell fighting side by side with him, glaring at another beastias.

"Don't say that, you'll jinx it," he answered, looking out of the corner of his eye at his comrade. Noticing the monster approaching from behind on his partner, Ell directed his gaze to the monster, instantly turning the attacker into a block of ice.

From all sides the rumble of hundreds of demonic creatures was heard, squad were surrounded. The soldiers could only look around dejectedly, trying to understand where the next attack would come from.

"Well done, you jinxed," the first quietly muttered, focusing on the enemy. The second threw an angry look at the interlocutor, after which, shaking his head in irritation, he turned his attention to the evil in front of him.

It will be a long battle.


	3. Return to the native village. Part 2

Dawn was approaching and the darkness of the night began to gradually give way to the light of day. With the onset of the morning, the battle drew to a close.

Kel stood at the edge of the field, his gaze fixed on the opposite side to his opponent - the last surviving mutant-Moras. The Second was killed about an hour ago, and since then, the chief has relentlessly pursued the last survivor. He, in turn, continued to send his minions to the leader of the Ells, attacking from afar.

Finally getting rid of the remaining minions, Kel Ell circled the hellbird, trying to figure out its next move. The winged beast wanted to retreat: with the approach of dawn, the demons' time was quickly running out - however, her opponent did not give such an opportunity. Both the leader and the monster were exhausted by the long battle, both knew that this last attack would be decisive in their confrontation.

With a furious roar, the monster rushed at the enemy, trying to destroy the obstacle in its path. The warrior swung his sword, sending a cutting wave of wind at the enemy. As expected, Mor dodged, gaining enough altitude for the attack to pass him.

Soaring as high as possible, the demonic bird plunged downward at full speed.Kel jumped to meet her. The two forces collided in the air, and a shockwave shook the clearing.

Two figures fell to the ground, because of the dust raised, it was not visible who won the victory. Ells awaited the outcome of the latest attack with trepidation. And so, when the dust settled, the warriors saw Mor bowing his head before their leader. The squad was jubilant - the grueling battle finally came to an end.

The leader, however, was in no hurry to rejoice with the others, although he defeated the monster, breaking his wings, the creature was still breathing. Kel Ell raised his sword over his head, about to decapitate the hellbird, when it suddenly spoke:

“You won this battle, but you cannot win the war,” the monster croaked softly.

"You can speak?!" startled, Kel stopped the sword inches from the creature's head. He had never seen low-level, non-highly intelligent demons like the Moras able to talk.

“Cut off from your beginings, with each generation you become weaker, but we, fed by your hatred, despair and fear, are becoming stronger,” the monster continued his tirade.

"What does it mean? Answer me!" demanded the warrior, pointing with the tip of his sword in the face of the creature.

“That means you’ve already lost,” the demon gloated, before turning to dust under the first rays of the sun.

The remaining demons retreated into their native shadows, where they will wait out the day, so that then, with the onset of the next night, continue to bring chaos and destruction. Cal stood still for a moment, pondering the demon bird's last words.

Is it possible that the demons are getting stronger has something to do with the fact that Ells began to weaken? And what does the phrase about “cut off beginings” mean? And where did all these demons come from ?! How were they able to overcome the barrier set up on the border of the Ell lands? These and many other thoughts continued to torment the leader of the Ells.

“Great Leader,” the lieutenant turned to him, pulling Kel out of his thoughts again, “are you all right? he worried, looking at the young leader for damage.

"It's okay," noticing the lieutenant's gaze, Kel Ell hastily hid the wound that had opened as a result of the battle under his cloak. 

"How are the others?" he asked, looking the old lieutenant in the eye.

“One of the riders broke his leg when the demons knocked him out of the saddle, while the rest escaped with minor scratches and bruises,” the old man reported.

“We're lucky,” the squad leader concluded in an undertone.

Taking his eyes away from his subordinate, the leader walked towards the detachment. Zeim silently followed him, as much as possible trying to step over the corpses of the monsters, with which the whole clearing was now strewn. As he approached the carts, he spotted Ten. Leaning over the bodies of fallen enemies, the giant whispered a prayer, asking for forgiveness from the spirit of life Din. Most of the other Ells simply did not pay attention, long accustomed to the "quirks" of their colleague.

"Look at him, is he planning to apologize to every monster killed?" one of the recruits expressed his dissatisfaction.

“The son of a great captain, with a strength many times superior to his father, but at the same time a coward who apologizes to every creature he killed, - is a pitiful sight,” his comrade echoed.

"Shame for his father," having laughed at the poor fellow, the two recruits left.

“Ten,” Kel said, watching the scene from afar, “are you finished?" the leader asked quietly, putting his hand on the man's shoulder.

“Yes, sir,” Ten replied just as quietly.

Straightening up, he silently followed the leader of the squadron. The old lieutenant, who was also watching the entire scene, cast a sympathetic glance at his comrade. Every time people like Ten enter a battle, they have to sacrifice their faith for the good of the people, who later despise them for their "cowardice."

Approaching the carts, the leader glanced quickly over his detachment. As Zeim said, many had wounds and abrasions all over their bodies. Tired, they sat down on the ground, not paying the slightest attention to their surroundings, most did not even react to his appearance.

Kel cleared his throat to get attention. When all the group's attention was focused on him, the leader of the squadron spoke:

“I know that you are all tired, but we must move on."

There were no objections - everyone understood that staying in their place was akin to a death sentence for them. Nobody knew where all these creatures came from and whether others, more dangerous, could appear. Exhausted by the battle, they will not survive another attack, so the best option is to get to the village as soon as possible.

Rising to their feet, the warriors slowly began to collect their belongings, abandoned in the heat of battle. Kel at this time went to the carriage to check on the wounded.

By now, the hole Moras had created had grown overgrown, leaving only a small hole in the roof, so the warchief had to go the standard way - through the door. When he went inside, six people stared at him - five wounded in the battle with the Kains a week ago and a driver who broke his leg in the last battle.

"Everything is fine?" he asked, glancing around at his subordinates for new injuries.

"It's okay, our comrades-in-arms fought bravely to protect us all," answered the boy surprisingly lively for someone who almost died a couple of hours ago. The leader of the squadron smiled slightly at the cheerful boy.

“Sorry, Great Leader, I let you down,” the driver began to apologize, looking at the leg fixed with a homemade splint. "In my condition, I will not be able to lead the convoy, - you will have to look for someone to play the charioteer role."

“You’re not to blame for anything,” the young leader replied, “don’t worry, if there is not a single experienced rider among the soldiers, I will sit at the reins myself."

"I am worried about my partner - he will have to stand at the head of the convoy," the man expressed his fears. "I have no doubt about his skills, but he is still quite young and he has no experience in leading a group."

“The guy showed himself well today, I think he can handle it.” Feeling that they were being watched, Kel looked back, looking at the one in question.

"Is not it?"

“I will not let you down,” the junior driver declared resolutely, looking the senior in the eyes. Having received the confirmation he wanted, the man nodded.

Within half an hour, the soldiers collected the surviving things, another twenty minutes - they were looking for a replacement driver, and finally, when all the preparations were completed, the detachment could move forward.

Kel decided to go ahead in case of another attack. Behind him were two carts, led by a junior driver. At the end of the convoy, soldiers, led by Zeim, walked, and at the end of the group, Ten walked, covering the rear.

For three hours they continuously moved towards the village, and all this time Kel continued to haunt the feeling that someone was watching them. Deciding this time to trust his instinct, the leader continued to urge his people on, despite the fatigue.

Noticing an obstacle ahead, the leader stopped and raised his left hand, gesturing for the group to freeze. Following orders, the charioteers tugged at the reins, forcing the massive beasts to freeze in place; after the Kunzars, the soldiers also stopped.

The road ahead cut off, giving way to impenetrable dark thickets, dimly lit by a lonely smoldering lantern. Looking around for the umpteenth time, Kel slowly walked over to the extinct torch at the side of the road and raised his hand to it. At the same moment, the lantern flashed brightly with a red-blue flame and the impenetrable thickets gradually disappeared, and the impenetrable shadows of a dense forest were replaced by the light of lanterns, which, like small lighthouses, indicated the further path.

The thickets were just an illusion created to protect the village from intruders. Travelers who do not know the secret of these places will turn back, mistakenly believing that they have got lost, only Ells who know the true purpose of the pointing torches are able to open the way to the hidden village.

After making sure that the further path was safe, the head of the detachment gave a signal to his people to follow him. The further the detachment advanced, the weaker the leader's anxiety became. Kel Ell breathed a sigh of relief - whoever chased them, he decided not to follow them further. Deciding there was no point in rushing further, Kel slowed down.

After a few minutes of walking, the forests began to thin out, - the road led them straight to the foot of a huge mountain. When the group came close enough to the hill, a wooden archway through the rock became visible. It was the arch of the Eastern Gate of the Ell village.

The protective wall that surrounded the entire village was outwardly indistinguishable from real mountain peaks. It was created in case the enemy, nevertheless, somehow manages to avoid the traps and illusions placed on the way to the capital. The wall is designed in such a way that you can enter or leave the village only with the help of a gate. If anyone wants to enter the city or escape from it, then he will immediately be stopped by the guards - a special military unit designed to protect and maintain order in the settlements of the Ell Lands. From watchtowers on four sides, the guards tirelessly monitor both outside and inside the city. Nothing is hidden from their gaze!

A small detachment rapidly approaching the gate - not hidden to. Noticing their approach, the supervisors of the East Tower gave the order to inform the gatekeepers, the medical detachment, and also to notify the general about the return of their leader.

However, even before the guards discovered a group approaching the village, she already knew about their imminent arrival. Stopping near the East Gate, the girl began to wait patiently. The implementation of her plan has begun ...

***************************************************************

Having reached the gate, the leader of the detachment ordered to stop and wait for the opening of the passage. On the other side of the wall, the six gatekeepers, by order of the general, lined up with their palms pressed against the cold stone gate. Their hands began to glow with a red-blue flame, and a huge rock, obeying the benders, began to slowly sink into the ground.

When the gates went completely underground, and the dust finally settled, the travelers had a breathtaking view of their hometown. During their absence, a lot has changed: not long ago, bare trees acquired thick green hair, and the empty fields that lie south of the inconspicuous houses of herbalists are now covered with various medicinal plants, even the habitually nondescript buildings in the area sparkled with colors, thanks to the unusually strong flowering, which in their native village summer has brought. This view brought peace to the hearts of the warriors - they finally returned home.

On the other hand, the guards who were supposed to greet the squad were shocked by their appearance. The warriors looked terrible: everyone was covered in soot, mud and black demonic blood, many had traces of claws and fangs, and a few limped a little.

Considering their appearance and the fact that the leader himself was among them, the head of the guards decided not to detain them at control and immediately let the group into the village. The first thing to do was let the carts through the gate. First, a large carriage was allowed to enter the village, in the roof of which a small hole was still visible, and after it a small cart, slightly skewed on its left side, with a rag roof torn in several places, passed with a creak. After passing the gate, the carts turned towards a small square located between the headquarters of the guards and the building of the military hospital. The charioteers pulled the reins, and the animals obediently turned towards the camp.

When the Kunzars occupied the vacant stalls, the rest of the group began to enter the city one by one. As soon as Kel crossed the gate, a pale-skinned blonde dressed in a medical outfit, over which a snow-white cloak with a black-and-red coat of arms flaunted, immediately ran up to him, the leader of the squad of doctors - Arzey Ell.

"Help the drivers unload the carts, I will soon come to you," the leader turned to his subordinates. Bowing obediently, the warriors hastened to leave the elderly woman alone with their leader.

“Greetings, Great Leader,” she bowed deeply, and then, quickly straightening up, continued.

"We are all incredibly happy about your return home alive and almost unharmed," said the dark-eyed with a grain of sarcasm, looking at the fresh trickles of his own scarlet blood, barely noticeable because of the soot, dirt and sintered black demonic blood, flowing down his left wrist. Tracking the bloody divorces, she noticed that the sleeve of his shirt was torn, and under it was clumsily applied a bandage from Zdravolist already soaked with blood.

The woman sighed, how many times she told the young leader to be careful and not rely only on her great strength. Later, she will have to give him another lecture on the importance of her own safety.

"Don't annoy me, Arzey!" brunette threatened her. Now he is not in the mood to listen to more lectures.

"As you command, Your Grace," the woman slightly bowed her head, a sly grin appeared on her face, causing another attack of irritation in Kel.

"But seriously, what happened to you? Why do you and your squad look like you've just been to hell?" she asked in a stern tone.

“On the way to the village, a flock of demons attacked us, we fought back until dawn,” the man replied, bowing his head bashfully. Kel still felt angry about what had happened. If he hadn't chased his squad like that, they would not have found themselves in such a situation. Everything that happened in this damned field is completely his fault.

"Great Kao!" blonde exclaimed, horrified by the news. She knew that something bad had happened, but she could not even think about it. 

"Everything is fine?" Arzey, motherly, gently touched Kel's right palm, prompting him to look into her eyes.

“We got off lightly - one of the drivers broke his leg, the others, as far as I know, had only minor injuries,” the young leader said quietly, looking into her eyes.

"Just in case, I want you and your people to inspect the entire squad. Some may have more serious injuries than they seem - on the way, I noticed that several of the warriors were limping. Also in the carriage are six wounded, including the one who suffered during the attack of the demons,take care of them," he nodded towards the carriage, from which one by one the soldiers who suffered during the last battle were taken out.

The first to come out was a boy, about fifteen years old, with a white-cloth bandage on the right side of his face, on which scarlet streaks of blood were clearly traced. Under the edge of the bandage, claw marks were visible, stretching almost to the very neck. Even though the teenager probably lost his right eye, he continued to smile at his comrades. It seems that he is just glad that he returned home alive ... Which obviously cannot be said about the two men who followed.

The healer looked at them with pity - their battle is over. The younger one lacked the right hand, and also had many minor wounds all over the body, the second one lost his left leg right up to the hip, and moved only at the expense of the first. Both flatly refused outside help, while also managing to quarrel with each other. In their case, death on the battlefield would be preferable - alive they will only become a burden for friends and family.

A boy was carried on a stretcher, outwardly looking no older than the leader. Behind him, with the support of a young charioteer, a driver with a broken leg was brought out.

The last in leave the cart was a woman, who tried her best to hide her face, disfigured by demonic claws. The poor woman, because of the scars, is now doomed to loneliness and contempt from his fellow tribesmen. Arzey averted her gaze - even after years of working as a doctor, it was unbearable to look at human suffering.

She looked at the young leader. Noticing the unnatural pallor on his face, the head of the medical detachment once again looked at his wound: judging by the significant blood loss, the wound is quite deep.

“You're going to the hospital with the others, Kel. Your wound doesn't look good, it might need stitches."

"Not. You have nothing to worry about, it's just a scratch, I can handle it myself,” the man reassured her.

“ Now go, the wounded need your help,” he ordered. In response, the woman only shook her head sadly.

"Stubborn to the end, right? Asking for help is not at all a sign of weakness, Kel Ell," Arzey looked at the leader with sincere concern, after which she silently turned around and, giving a sign to her people, moved towards the carts. Kel watched her for a moment.

He felt guilty for being too rude towards the woman who had cared for him since childhood, but she must understand. He was a leader and could not show weakness in front of his fellow tribesmen, even if the world around him was already practically spinning due to significant blood loss, and at the slightest movement, a burning pain struck his shoulder. Not! He had to stay strong. Always.

While the leader was in thought, a short, dark-haired man approached him. Behind him fluttered a bright yellow cloak with a red and black coat of arms - a symbol of general status.

“Welcome back, Great Leader,” said the general, bowing deeply. Kel felt a little embarrassed - although four years had passed since his appointment, such formalities were still embarrassing.

“What's the point of all these formalities, Nash? You and I have known each other for a hundred years,” the young warrior smiled awkwardly.

"I just follow the customs," the leader of the guards smiled slyly and, straightening up, stretched out his hand. Smiling at the words of the interlocutor, the leader immediately extended his hand in response.

“Glad you're back,” Nash Ell said after finishing the handshake. He tensed as his brown eyes spotted the bloody weapon in his comrade's right hand.

“I am also happy to see you, old friend,” the leader smiled warmly at him. Noticing that the face of his interlocutor suddenly became tense, he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Kel, can you take the sword away?" - the man looked with concern at the bloody blade. Kel Ell, before that and did not notice the cold weapon in his hand, hastily hid the blade in a sheath fixed on his belt.

"Sorry, the nerves are not to hell at all," he rubbed the back of his head guiltily and, looking down, continued. “I think you've already heard that a pack of demons attacked us on the way to the village today."

“Yes, I heard from your subordinates,” Nash confirmed, his voice taking on a harder tone. “Where do you think these creatures came from?"

"I wish I knew. They came literally out of nowhere, and even these mutant-Moras ... From what I saw, they were strong enough to rule the horde," reasoned Kel Ell.

" One of them spoke to me before his death and ..."

"Mor spoke ?!" the guard interrupted him, stunned by the last statement of the leader.

“Yes, I was surprised too,” leader Ells confirmed, and then continued. “This creature said that they are getting stronger as we get weaker."

" Unfortunate that the monster is right, the number of mutated individuals is growing by the day. If mutating, even lower demons, like the Moras, become intelligent, then our affairs are bad," said Nash Ell joylessly, seriously alarmed by the new information.

"Agree. We must urgently discuss this at the upcoming Generals meeting. Until then, I do not want anyone to travel unaccompanied at night. I will not tolerate another attack. ”furious at the current situation, he clenched his fists with all his might.

“Okay, I'll send a message to my people today, and at the same time send a detachment to check the place where you were attacked. Perhaps a hole has opened up there," Nash decided as he considered the situation.

“Sorry, I again brought you and your people unnecessary trouble,” the still angry leader continued to clench his fists, looking at the floor.

“It's not your fault, Kel,” the head of the guards put his hand on the leader's shoulder. “I was told how you single-handedly destroyed most of the attackers. Without you, the squad would have died in that battle, you saved them all, and don't you dare think otherwise."

“Thank you, Nash.” consoled by the words of a friend, the young leader let go of his anger for a moment.

Sighing heavily, the leader of the guards decided to finally get down to business.

"How many this time?" man nodded toward the small, crumpled cart.

“We were able to deliver only two to our homeland, the rest of the dead are to arrive in the next few days,” Kel Ell said quietly, the smile completely disappearing from his face, replaced by the initial frown. “Come with me and take a few guys with you to help,” he ordered, and, turning his back to the head of the guards, slowly walked towards the cart.

Nash summoned four tough guys from his squad with him and ordered them to follow him, first taking with him a pair of stretchers.

"How many victims are there?" asked the general, following the leader.

“Excluding Wells, - more than forty, the exact count is still in progress.” Kel was extremely saddened by the situation.

The young leader blamed himself for what had happened: when the attack occurred, he was not at the headquarters, and because of his negligence, he managed to miss the leader of the Kains, in addition, he was seriously injured.

"Fool," he thought as he walked up to the cart.

Several men of Kel's squad were already crowded around the wagon. Bandaged by medics, they stood awaiting the next order from the commander. Noticing the approach of the leader and general, they immediately lined up and greeted them with a bow. Kel Ell nodded.

The general decided to take a look at the dead. Peering inside the wagon, he sat down next to the fallen warriors and slowly began to remove the tissue reddened with blood from their bodies. The first body belonged to a short youth of about fifteen or sixteen years old, -his throat was cut, apparently with a sword. Nash just shook his head, "How many more children must die before the Elders finally stop sending them to war?"

The second victim seemed familiar to the man. It seems that a few months ago, he filed a report for transfer to the guard squad, this was supposed to be his last mission as a warrior. Then he seemed frightened to the general and, judging by what eventually happened to him, not in vain. His corpse looked so terrible that even a seasoned soldier felt uncomfortable.

"What were their names?" asked Nash, referring to the comrades of the victims.

“The boy’s name was Van,” one of the Ells replied, pointing to the body of the young guy, “and the name of the second, the one that was torn to pieces, is Dang,” he said, pointing to the remains of a man.

At the sight of the second, everyone present froze blood in their veins. The man's entire body was streaked with claw marks, and a grimace of pure horror was posthumously captured on his face. The eyes were gouged out, and the right hand, apparently cut off during his lifetime, rested on his chest. Next to her, in the place where the heart once was, a hole gaped.

"Great Kao, what kind of beast did it ?!" Shouted one of Nash's charges, barely glancing at the fallen warrior. The man standing next to him got sick, he squeezed his mouth with his hand, struggling to contain the urge to vomit.

"Newbies?" Kel Ell asked, standing next to the general.

“Both have been in the service for more than five years,” the guardian leader answered in a half voice, not even looking in their direction.

“Take the bodies to the sanctuary,” Nash ordered. Coming out of the carriage, he gave his subordinates a stern look, making them feel ashamed for their lack of professionalism. Bowing humbly, the guards immediately began to unfold the stretcher and carefully lay the bodies on them.

"Did they have families?" leader asked in a mournful voice.

“Only at Dang,” Ten replied.

"Well, I will inform his family," the leader of the Ells was about to leave when the voice of Ten Ell stopped him:

“Great Leader, let me do it. Dang was a close friend of mine.”

Turning around, the young leader looked at his faithful companion. Looking into the giant's gray eyes, Kel Ell saw an immeasurable yearning for his fallen comrade, and although it was the chief's duty to inform the family of the loss of the breadwinner, this time he decided to yield.

"Go," the young leader nodded curtly. " I'll meet you at the meeting."

Bowing low in respect and gratitude, Ten Ell straightened up and slowly walked towards the house of the deceased.

Nash's wards, meanwhile, finished laying the bodies, quietly moved towards the sanctuary. The companions of the dead watched them silently, Kel was among them.

As the porters passed the hospital building, his attention was drawn to a painfully familiar figure nearby. She stood with her back against a small tree next to the hospital.

A light summer breeze lifted the fallen flower petals upward, forcing them to circle in a graceful dance around her. Her long dark curls, habitually decorated with a braided red ribbon, swayed slightly in the wind. Without even realizing it, he smiled - her appearance alone could drive away all gloomy thoughts. However, then the brunette remembered their last conversation and the smile was replaced by a frown.

"I hope, there were no problems in my absence?" leader asked in a stern tone, addressing Nash.

"No, everything was relatively calm," the head of the guards was somewhat puzzled by this question.

“Yeah, just make sure.” Kel shrugged with a fake smile, trying to convince his friend that his words were true. Fortunately for him, the general did not pressurize and accepted his answer.

The leader of the Ells glanced once more at the girl, apparently waiting for him. Noticing his gaze focused on her, she waved her hand in greeting. He massaged his eyes, trying in vain to relieve fatigue. He need to sort this out as quickly as possible.

“Well, I think it's time for me to get back to work. See you at the meeting.” after saying goodbye to the leader, the man turned around, heading straight to the headquarters of the guards.

“Nash,” the Ell leader called to the general, forcing him to turn to face him, “close the gate as soon as possible."

The head of the guards raised an eyebrow in the silent request for an explanation - he did not understand the sudden urgency in closing the gate. Sighing wearily, the young leader nodded somewhere in the direction of the hospital. Following gaze in the indicated direction, the leader of the guards saw a certain wayward person, who had a close relationship with the commander.

"Is that Zed's daughter there?" What is she doing here at this hour?" asked the brown-eyed, looking directly into the eyes of his interlocutor.

"Waiting for me, obviously," Kel answered, with a bit of irritation, not taking his eyes off her.

“I thought you and Zed settled this, khm… problem,” Ell muttered the last word in an obviously accusatory tone, squinting at his comrade. Kel refused to look him in the eye.

“Please make sure the gates and borders of the village are well guarded. I don’t need another incident with her participation, especially now,” he asked, bowing his head bashfully.

Softening, Nash Ell let out a tired sigh, then replied:

"Okay, I'll put extra security, but please, sort it out at last."

“Thank you,” the leader thanked heartily.

"Eh, youngs ..." general shook his head in annoyance, then turned around and walked towards the gate.

Kel Ell shifted his gaze to his subordinates. As if on cue, the men lined up, humbly awaiting his order.

"Everybody's Free. Rest, we will meet at the meeting," having bowed, the soldiers began to disperse to their homes, the young leader went straight to the girl who was waiting for him.

Quickly passing the square, Kel turned to one of the many paths that, like the rays of the sun, diverged from the square to all ends of the village. Approaching the hospital, he turned off the road, heading straight for a tree in the shade of which, with her long legs crossed, the she one that meant a lot to him was patiently waiting for him.

She was a faithful childhood friend who provided comfort after a day of brutal training. She was his teenage love, in an embrace with which he watched the stars on cloudless summer evenings. She is his fiancée, as well as the headache and biggest disappointment of adulthood, with her endless antics and quarrelsome personality. And the name of all this contradictory mess of thoughts and feelings is Darina. Indeed, this girl, as her name said, was a real gift of life: annoying, problematic, sometimes more like a curse, but, nevertheless, - a gift.

When his gaze fell on the girl's charming violet eyes, Kel froze, unable to take the next step. Without waiting for the guy, Darina went to meet him. The sun peeking out from behind the clouds illuminated her pale pink skin and gave extra radiance to the extraordinary purple eyes. Fascinated, he could not take his eyes off her.

Stopping half a meter from him, the girl greeted. Having received no reaction, the brunette lightly touched the man's left hand, trying to bring him back to reality. Ell flinched in pain from the touch, then shook his head to ward off the fog.

He suddenly remembered why he fell in love with this girl - only she could make him forget his own name with just one glance. When talking to her, a man needs to be careful. Very careful.

“Kel,” she greeted with a casual smile that almost made him smile back. But, leader knew her too well to blindly believe this innocent smile.

“Wow, you look awful,” the girl said, looking at her interlocutor.

His clothes, which consisted of a mud-darkened red cloak, a blue shirt, black trousers, and navy blue boots, looked tattered, and his skin was covered in soot, caked with blood and dirt. He looked like he had spent a week in a ditch.

"Darina, what are you doing here so early?" man asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose irritably.

"I was waiting for you," she smile immediately disappeared, replaced by discontent. She was outraged by his tone - he did not trust her at all. And how, after such a cold attitude, this man dared to say that he loved her ?! Darina clenched her fists, it was beyond her understanding.

The girl closed her eyes and took in more air in her lungs, trying to calm the surging anger. Here and now is not the place for that - she has more important things to do. Exhaling, she slowly opened her eyes. Looking again at the named groom, the brunette quietly asked:

"Can we talk in private?"

"What, right now ?!" he was indignant. The sky had lightened only a few hours ago - what the hell was she impatient to discuss at such a time of day ?!

“It's quite difficult to get you out at another time, you know,” Darina folded her arms across her chest and pouted like a child, refusing to back down.

Kel Ell continued to squeeze the bridge of his nose, already feeling the impending migraine. She was right, at any other time of the day he would do his best not to run into her. The girl caught him on purpose right now. He was caught - now there was no way to break out of her grasp. Further arguing is not only pointless, but also dangerous in his current worn out state. With a weary sigh, the man replied:

"Okay, let's go to my house, we'll talk there," the leader moved to the path leading to the north-western part of the city.

Darina, however, was in no hurry to follow him. For a while, she simply watched the slowly closing passage, trying to memorize every detail of the outside world, before the bulky stone gate again hid it from her sight.

The man stopped. Following the direction of her gaze, the leader of the Ells began to observe the subsequent actions of the girl. He prepared to stop her immediately if his suspicions about the true intentions of the bride were confirmed.

After several long minutes, the gate finally closed completely. Kel Ell breathed a sigh of relief - the girl just stared, not trying to take any action.

“Darina,” Kel called out to her, moving forward. Turning around, she silently followed him.


End file.
